A report issued earlier this month by the Arkansas Highway and Transportation Department (AHTD) estimated $24.6 million could be provided to the cities and counties in the Arkansas River Valley for highway repairs if a half-cent statewide sales tax is approved later this year.

Voters in November’s general election will have the option to vote for or against a half-cent statewide sales tax, which would provide for the issuance of up to $1.3 billion in bonds. The bonds would be repaid in approximately 10 years, at which time the temporary sales tax would end. The bill also provides for one cent of the current motor fuel tax to be dedicated to the State Aid Street Fund after the culmination of the temporary tax.

If approved, the tax would become effective July 1, 2013, and would exclude food and food ingredients.

In addition to providing for state highway repairs, a portion of proceeds from the tax would also be dedicated to counties and cities for road repairs. The portion of funds dedicated to cities and counties would be distributed according to population. Estimated turnback funds, compiled by AHTD based on the 2010 U.S. Census, for the Arkansas River Valley is as follows:

Several area legislators, though not all, signed on as co-sponsors of the House bill that calls for the election.

Rep. John Catlett, D-Rover, said “our roads are just deteriorating” and the sales tax offers a solution to provide needed repairs. However, the provision to allow the matter to go before a public vote was important to him.

“I didn’t necessarily think the legislature should raise the sales tax, (but) give people an opportunity to vote up or down on it,” he said.

Catlett acknowledged though he believes good roads and infrastructure is important to bringing in new jobs, the economy remains tight and some citizens may be unwilling to add an extra tax burden.

“I think the people should have the opportunity to say yes, we want this, or no, we don’t,” he said. “... I think it should be left up to the people to decide what they want.”

Reps. Betty Overbey, D-Lamar, and Robert Dale, R-Dover, were also listed as co-sponsors of the bill. Neither returned calls for comment Thursday.

Rep. Andrea Lea, R-Russellville, said she voted against the bill proposing the sales tax increase to fund highway improvements. She said she opposed to bill for two reasons, “one, it’s a sales tax. Second, it has a sunset clause, but I haven’t met a tax yet that actually sunsetted.”

She acknowledged funding was needed to make highway repairs, but did not think a sales tax, which said was not a long-term solution, was the right answer.

Lea noted one proposal presented during the Legislature’s 2011 session by Rep. Duncan Baird, R-Lowell, which would reroute existing fines and fees to highway funding. She said Baird’s proposal would have provided a long-term solution without raising taxes.

“To me, the mood was very clear in the last election that they (voters) did not want any more taxes, so to me it was very simple,” Lea said.